The curtain went up early last week on the annual British tennis debate, with Baroness Billingham telling the House of Lords that the LTA are a ‘total shambles’ and calling for Sports Minister Hugh Robertson to launch an inquiry.
You have to admire the Baroness’s undoubted passion and commitment to the game, and it was a wonderfully colourful phrase for we scribes to lap up.
Many in the game will agree that there has been too little accountability for too long, yet if one is seriously debating the subject it has to be said that the phrase ‘total shambles’ is not quite fair, and probably counter-productive.
Of course any organisation that has had more than half a billion pounds from Wimbledon alone over the past twenty years and done so little with it has much explaining to do.
Even if you do not believe the Sport England figures asserting a huge drop in participation – and I do not because there would have been an easily spotted collapse in tennis ball sales if that were the case – there has been a terrible failure to significantly broaden the base of the sport at the bottom.
The lack of credible international players remains an embarrassment and as the LTA insist on so much control they can hardly complain that they get the blame for it.
Leading from the front: Leon Smith has impressed as Davis Cup captainAny success that comes is in spite of their centralising instincts, not because of them. They are enthusiastic about spending other people’s money and the size of the organisation, with numbers nearing 300, is mind boggling. Financial controls are desperately lacking. We could go on.
Yet the LTA is not a total shambles. Junior results – which mean little unless they are translated into future senior success – have undoubtedly improved. Leon Smith, while a politician to his fingertips, has proved an astute Davis Cup Captain and has some very committed coaches under him in the national training effort.
Seeing will be believing, but there is tentative evidence that lower down a long-overdue improvement may be coming in men’s rankings. At grass roots there are some good initiatives taking place, if not enough
So well done to the Baroness for speaking up, but a total shambles? Not quite.
Tennis ace RoryRory McIlroy is a golf superstar but he sat blissfully unnoticed on the public benches when watching girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki lose in the second round of the Italian Open. McIlroy could quote a couple of Marion Bartoli’s recent results to us as he sat there, so he’s obviously getting clued up.
Face in the crowd: Golfer, Rory McIlroy watches Caroline Wozniacki in RomeNet loss in Italy
Tennis has warded off the economic downturn very well but this year it was possible to feel the chill wind of Euro recession blowing through the Foro Italico. The number of commercial stands was down, as was the size of the hospitality area, which has previously overflowed with Rome’s glitterati.
Ivan homeIvan Lendl is back with Andy Murray this week, but en route to Paris he played an exhibition match at the women’s Prague Open, the first time the Florida-based coach has played any kind of match in his homeland for 22 years. Judging by Rome, there is lots to do with Murray ahead of Roland Garros.
Helping hand: Ivan Lendl is back in Andy Murray's cornerGolding boy
It is a promising sign that after winning two recent titles at Futures level, US Open junior champion Oliver Golding is moving into the senior top 500 while still only 18. It’s early days, but it suggests Golding could yet manage the notoriously difficult transition from the juniors.
Fleming injuredColin Flemings creditable climb up the doubles rankings towards the top 20 alongside Ross Hutchins has been cruelly interrupted by a stress fracture in his tibia. Following a scan, Fleming is out of the French Open but very hopeful of getting back on track for the grass season next month.
Blow: Colin Fleming will miss the French OpenHostel receptionThey have long since regarded the media at the Italian Open as slightly below stairs, and this week our workspace was in a youth hostel technically outside the grounds. A bit of a pain but for some of us it did at least bring back happy memories of staying at such places nearly 30 years ago.
Grunt warfareThe feud between fellow grunters Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka shows little sign of abating. Following the latter’s curious withdrawal from Rome, Shazzer’s unsympathetic take was: ‘Two days after retirements you see her practising, so it’s tough to know what her state is and how she is feeling.’
No love lost: Maria Sharapova was unsympathetic towards Victoria AzarenkaMore... Djokovic out for revenge after booking Nadal showdown in Rome final Serena vows to be fit for French Open after pulling out of Rome semi-final Murray needs a quick fix after surprise defeat to Gasquet in Italian Open LTA fight corner as organisation branded 'a total shambles' in House of Lords
